Police-beating Vapostori identified

SEVEN of the 37 Johanne Masowe eChishanu apostolic sect members who reportedly assaulted police, journalists and other officials in Budiriro in May this year were yesterday identified by two witnesses.

The 37, who have been abandoned by their lawyer Obey Shava, pleaded not guilty and denied being present when the violence erupted.

The seven were identified as Clemence Chimutso (47), Madzimure Madzimure (36), Charles Matanga (42), Darlington Mambayo (46), John Mutasa (40), Paul Mupikata (32) and Tavengwa Gwenzi (46).

In his evidence-in-chief, one of the witnesses, Lameck Chitope, told the court that he is the Bishop of the Zviratidzo Zvevapostori Church in Africa and is also the chairperson of the Apostolic Christian Council of Zimbabwe.

"A police officer who was escorting me to my vehicle was struck with a 'holy stick' and I was left standing face-to-face with Gwenzi, who was wielding his stick," he said. "They started assaulting me all over the body and before I fell down I saw Mutasa and Mupikata among my assailants."

Another witness Chipo Chidonge, a police officer attached at Budiriro Police Station, told the court that she was summoned to go to the shrine with 20 other officers. "Johannes Ndanga started addressing them and they stood up telling him to speak in Shona because he is not white.

"This is when things started going wrong," she said.

"Mambayo started poking Assistant Inspector Alfred Zhou with his stick before Chimutso, Madzimure and Matanga joined in assaulting him. "When they charged towards me, I started running away and I was struck above the eye with an object I did not see."

The 37 are appearing before Harare magistrate Tendai Mahwe.